With an all-star cast, it’s no wonder that tvN’s “Twenty Five, Twenty One” is a drama you should add to your watch list. The plot revolves around Na Hee Do (Kim Tae Ri) and Baek Yi Jin (Nam Joo Hyuk), who met when they were 18 and 22 years old and reunited when they were 21 and 25 years old. Comedy, new friendships, heartbreak, and intrigue abound in the first two episodes. Continue reading to find out what we liked about it!
LOVED: Na Hee Do’s perseverance
With such a talented actress playing her, there was no doubt that Na Hee Do would be a character who would fill the screen in every scene she appeared in. Her character is extremely nice because of her unwavering determination. There is never a dull moment with Kate, from refusing to submit to fencing and attempting to get jailed to moving colleges and finding the courage to speak to her mother.
Na Hee Do, like Baek Yi Jin, is someone who sees what she can get rather than what she has lost. Kim Tae Ri’s performance brings the character to life, and you can’t help but smile and laugh whenever she’s on-screen. She really nails the spirit and drama of what it’s like to be a dreamy adolescent. If you only have time to look at one aspect of this drama, make it this one.
LOVED: The ambiguous relationship between Shin Jae Kyung and Yang Chan Mi
The disclosure that Na Hee Do’s mother, Shin Jae Kyung (Seo Jae Hee), has met with Coach Yang Chan Mi (Kim Hye Eun) to discuss Na Hee Do joining the fencing team is undoubtedly the most exciting scene in the first episode. While the cause isn’t evident, it’s clear that something caused a rift between these two women.
Throughout the first two episodes, this is possibly the most unclear relationship that the show has to offer. Simply said, I’m curious as to what transpired between these two. There appears to be a lot of baggage there, so we’ll have to wait and see how it’s defined.
LOVED: Na Hee Do and Go Yu Rim’s rivalry
Unlike Na Hee Do’s mother and her fencing coach, Na Hee Do and Go Yu Rim (WJSN’s Bona) have a strong bond. While they share an absolutely cute umbrella scene in which Na Hee Do is a star-struck admirer, as the episodes go, their relationship begins to deteriorate into a competition. When Go Yu Rim loses a practice match to Na Hee Do, she becomes jaded and unwelcoming to Na Hee Do. The match sequence, in particular, illustrates their childhood friendship, since Go Yu Rim was too afraid to fence against Na Hee Do and thus lost the match.
Their current setting has all the hallmarks of a K-drama main couple: a cute umbrella scene, a rocky start, and a childhood bond. While the main characters’ relationship is endearing, this one is equally so. It’ll be interesting to watch if they remain rivals for the rest of the season or if their connection develops beyond that.
LOVED: Na Hee Do telling Baek Yi Jin to be glad
Finally, there’s Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do’s budding relationship. Nam Joo Hyuk expertly captures Baek Yi Jin’s mature feelings after losing his home, riches, and desires all in one day. While the character has Nam Joo Hyuk’s boyish appeal and gentlemanliness, Baek Yi Jin spends much of the first two episodes suppressing his feelings and attempting to atone for his father’s tragedy. The most moving part of the drama is when he tells former employees of his father’s company that he will never be grateful. Fortunately, Na Hee Do strongly informs him that he should not assume this fashion and that he should dwell happily, even if it is merely a community secret. This moment demonstrates how well these two balance each other out. Unlike Baek Yi Jin, who looks to be critical and covered in the gloom, Na Hee Do appears to be the dazzling light at the end of the tunnel. It’s warm and inviting, and it establishes a strong foundation of friendship that could grow into romance as the drama progresses. And who doesn’t appreciate a nice buddy-to-love story?